Automatic mail-bag catcher and deliverer



Get. 9 1.923.

'W. DAVIS AUTOMATIC MAIL BAG. CATCHER AND HDELIVERER Filed June 18, 19203 Sheets-Sheet 1 Vl/JI/l/ll/l/ glwuv/wtoz William Dem/1J6.

Oct. 9, 1923.

1,470,427 W. DAVIS AUTOMATIC MAIL BAG CATCI-IER AND DELIVERER Fild June'18, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5-D as mmm DMD-6.

Oct. 9 1923. 1,470,427

/ W. DAVIS AUTOMATIC MAIL BAG CATQHER AND DELIVERER Filed June 18, 19203 Shets-Sheat 3 Kiw William .Dayi/S. v

Patented; Get, 9,1923.

ILLIA nevrs, or i mmnmiinmmmms essienoa'ro THE minim i n. DAVIS; MAcmnEcoMPnnY, 0

men or PENNSYLVANIA I annLPHIe, PnnNsYLvAN e, A CORPORA- AUcroiIfAnIclvrl'iinnee sensitize Ann, "inliftEvensRv To all whom may concern:

citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia 1n the county ofPhiladelphia and State ot Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new anduseitul Improvements inf Automatic Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliv erers, otWhiz-lithe following is a specifica tion. I

This invention relates to improvements in mail bag catching" anddelivering mechanisms for useon railway cars and adaptedtdautomatic'ally catclror deliver'orsimulta neously catch and deliverthe mail hag .hags: i

One of the primary o'ljjects o'f-the present invention is to provide amechanism-seconstru'c't'ed as to occupy a minimum spacefran'd lie wl1ollwithin the door opening; of thecar Qivhenin inactive position andWllli'l'l maybe set for operation Wholly from Iwit ijin the car vand-without the-necessity of the mail 'clerk' projecting his armsorlfhody beyond the door openingcf the cai".- Incidentally the inventioncontemplates so constructing the mechanism that the same may be returnedto inactive position after the transfe'r'ot' the mail-bag orbags hasbeenetlec-ted, without the necessity of the inail clerk exposing hisbedy'or-hmbsto dangers Y Another object of the invention-is to soconstruct themechan'isin that'it Will-operate to autoinaticallycatc hand deliver the bags sinniltaneonslyandconsequentlyat the same point sothatahag to be delivered is de-v posited ata station substantially atthe same. point at which theother hag'is caught b the mjechanism,'thusecono'mizing in space'at the station platform and minimizing the laborimposed upon=the stationagent in removing the delivered bag ancl'inplacing the bag to. vloe caught;

Another object of the invention is to so construct the mechanism as toprovide for 1 instant release of the lo'agto be delivered at themomentthe mechanism operates fort-his purpose so that no injury canresult tothe bag through being temporarily retained I by the mechanismin a partiallysuspended'concliti'on. l v v e Another object of the.invention isto pro videfor the-instant and positive releaseot the" bagto be: delivered from the mechanism hoth under conditions Where a" hagis tohe 1920; Serial no. 39 .052.

caught and wher'efa bag is not to he caught, the "mechanism beinglikewise adapted to operate equally as ehectivelyinnder reversecondltions orin'other words as regards the catching or taking on of'abag;

' 'iinother object of theinventionis to so construct themechanisnrthatit Willoperate to positively engageiand securely hold orretalinthe bag caught thereby.

Inthe accompanyingdrawings; I

Figure 1 is a pl-an view of the mechanism embodying the'invention inactive position and'inounted within'the cloorxv ay'oif a railway mailcar Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the positionsassumed "by theparts when the mechanism is tripped in catching-for clel'i verinn a bag;5' v W --Figure is a transverse sectional view" taken substantiallyoaths-line (ii- 3 of Fi ure 1 looking iiiithe direction-inclicated by*the arrows] Figure his Figure 5 is a similar vi'e v'o1r-the -line' ofFigure 1; Y

of Figure 1; and

a oe'tail-se'ctional VlGW taken" substantiallynn the line-4 4 of Figure1' Figure 7'is1a' similar view on the line 7'? In the drawings thenu'inerahl indicates "the dooropeningot a Til'llWELY'HlilliCfll at 'theopposite's'ides of ivhiclropening are-nionnt- 7 'ed hearings=2 asclearly shown in Figures 1 ancl'Q of the drawings; Theiniechanismemb'odying the inventlon compr ses a support- 111g; frame structurewhich s indicatedin general by. the-numeral" 8 and which comprises anarcuate' bodyportion et soineivhat more than a semi-circle in extent andprov'idj-V ing 'a mailbag receiving rec'ess ti having a throat 6. Theframe body Ais'. tormed at.

opposite sidesiof the throat G with laterally v alined' extensions 7'and 8 provided respectively with trunnions 9 and; lO n' 'hichfrotatablyfit within 'the 'hearingsg so *that the fram'e structure may be swun'gtoassume Lia, vertical posltionithin the doorfopeni 1e or I a horizontalpo 7 ion as illustratedn I Figures 1" and 2. In order \tO'lp'IDViClGJfO'I greedy: swinging of r the? frame .structure' to "either" 0f thepositions stated, a handled Iis provided upon thebo-dy- 4 at 'the closedside 7 of the body and? in position \vhere it inayaho rezone? To providefor the delivery of a mailbag,

the mechanism embodies means forsupportmgsuch a bag andfor-automatically releasmg the same at the tune such delivery is to beeffected, and thecomponent parts 01" this means are supported upon .v aframe extension which is indicated in general by the numeral 39 andwhich is carried upon the outer side of the arm 14iandjmay be castintegral therewith or otherwise arranged.

.his frame extension includes a member 40 constituting a mounting lOrbiLG arms 36 and their pivot'rei'ij, and it further includes arms 41whichare provided at their outer ends with laterally directed fingers4:2 to which may; be fitted suspension rings upon the bag to deliveredand which bag is indicated by the reference letter 13.. The nuv meral44indicatcs a sleeve bearing'which is :46 with their extremities inclose proximity arranged within. the frame extension 39Qand slidably.fitted in the'bore of this hearing is a stem 45' upon the rear side of ashi'ftable member 46 in turn supported for sliding ,movement upon thearms '41 of the said frameextension. The me iber 46 constitutes anejector and is provided with fingers'47 which project into engagementwith the fingers 42 and are provided with shoulders 4S movable along thesaid fingers longitudinallythereof in the sliding or shitting movementot the fmem ber 46.

Other lingers 49 project from the member to or contact with the fingers42, and these fingers 49 are spaced from the respective shoulders 48 adistancesufiicient to accommodate the rlngs 43. It will now be evidentthat when the member 46' has been shifted to the right in Figure l ofthe-drawings until the faces otthe shoulders 48 sub stantially registerwith the extremities of the fingers 42, the rings 43 of the bag to besupported may be placed in position and engaged over the ends of thesaid fingers 42, and the member 46 then slid toward the left in saidfigure whereby to confine the rings 43 between the said shoulders 48 andtin ers 49 as shown in'Figure 1. With the parts in this position therings43 which suspend the bag B will be held against accidentaldlsengagement from the fingers 42 and the bag will be securelysuspended. However upon shifting of the member 46 toward the right insaid Figure 1, the rings will be im- .mediately disengaged from thefingers thus permitting the bag to drop. In order that such movement oi?the member 46 may takeplace simultaneously with engagement of the A withthe arms 36, the arms at their inner ends are provided with extensions50 projecting; above and below the adjacent end of the member 46 andslotted .to

receive a pin 52 fitted through said extensions 50. It will now beevident that when the arms 36 are engaged by the bag A and thesuspending lingers 42.

Kare swung upon their pivot 37, the member 46 Wlll be pulledor shifted111 a (lli'GChlOlt' to disengage the rings of the bag-B from deliverynot the mail bag. 'A pinion 56 is fixed upon the spindle 53, and a dog57 rests in engagement with the said pinion and is pivotally mounted asat 58 upon one-end of a bracket rod 59 mounted upon the member 46. Itwill now be apparent that when the cranked trip arm is struck andactuated, a pull will be exerted upon the memto disch' rge a'ba from themechanism at a station withher 46v through the medium of thepinion 1 56and the (15 57.

Havingthus described the invention what is claimed as newiis: i

1. In mail bagcatching and delivering mechanism, akframe comprising abagdirect a bag intozthe'receiving portion, bagembracing meanssupportedby the frame and movable with relation thereto to em- 1 braceawithin the receiving portion of the frame, means for supportmga bag'tobe delivered, means for e ect1ng a bag from said supporting; means, andtrip means common to the bag embracing means and said eyecting means tosimultaneously operate the same.

2.111 mail bag. catching and delivering receiving portion and aguiding'portion to mechanism; a bag receiving frame bag em 7 bracingmeans supported thereby and moveable with relation thereto to embrace abag received wi-thin'the' frame delivery 'means, and trip-means commonto the bag embracing means, and the :bag delivery mean to simultaneouslyoperate the same, the said trip' meanscomprising a pivotally' mountedarm operatively connected with the embracing means and delivery meansand having a bowed side presented in the path of a bag to be" caught.

3, In mailbag catching and delivering 3 mechanism', a bag-receivingframe having abag receiving recess-and a throat leading thereto, bagembracing means supported by the frame and movableacrossithe throat toembrace a bag received within the recess, 7

and bag tripped means operable to auto-,

matically. actuate the; embracing means and, comprisingan arcuate armhaving lts convex side positionedto be engaged by the bag V to becaught, the said arm being pivotally supported in outwardly spacedrelation to the bag-receiving recess and throat and operativelyconnected with the said embrac ingmeans l a u 4.111 in il catching13,116; delivering mechanism, a bag receiving'frame having a bagreceiving recess and a throat leading thereto, bag eirrbracing'nreanssup-ported upon the frame and movable across the throat to embrace a bagreceived Within the recess, the throat lbeing-xnormally unoba structedbag delivery inea-nsyand trip means common tothe-bag embracingineans anddelivery means to simultaneously operate the same.

In mail bag catching and delivering mechanism, bag receiving meansembodying a member movable to'embrace a to be caught; means "forsupporting a bag to be delivered, a shiftable member for 'discharg ingthe bag from said=supportingmeans,

and trip i'n'eans operable by the caughtbag to actuate the embracingmeans andthe said shiftable member.- i

6. In mail bagicatching' and delivering mechanism, bag receiving meansembodying a member movable te embrace a bag to be can ht means for enmortinrr a ba to'bef vs e,

delivered, a shift-able K181110611 for discharging the bag from; saidsupporting; means,

trip means operable by the caught bag to actuate'the embracingmeans andtheeaid fshit'table member, and means operable by abutment mdepenclentlyof the said trip means forshift-ing the said shittableinenh inn finger,an ejecting member 'shiftable' her. 7 1

7. In vmail bag catching and de ivering mechanism, a bag'receivmg'frame,a bag'embracing member pivotally supported upon 'the bag IGCGlVlIlgframe and movable to;

position to embrace. a bag received Within the frame, a relatively rigidbag support with: relation thereto to-fdisplace from the Vfin er a hasattached elementen aged therewith, and an abutment arm pivotally mountedupon the bag recenungframe and hav ng a portion normally projecting nthe path or bag entering said frame, the said' arm relation thereto todisplace from the finger a attached element engaged therewith,

7 abutment arm pivotally mounted upon the bag receiving frame andhavinga pol tien' normally"projectingin thepath or a bag entering saidframe,-the said arm having operative connoction'withthe shiftablememherandwith the bag embracing member,- an oscillatory abutment arm mountedupon the bag receiving frame; and opera-tiveconriection between thelast-mentionedarm and the shiftable member for effecting operation or"the shift-able member independently of the having operativeiconnection'with the shiftfirst-mentioned abutment arm when the lastmedarm en a es afixed abutment.

9. in mail bag catching and delivering mechanism, aframe havinga throateirt'eriding thereacross intermediate its ends and a bag-receivingrecess at one side of and com mun catmg with the throat; abag-embracing-member mounted on the frame around the bag-receivingrecess therein and movable 11115-011 the frame to 'extend across the.-throat and embrace a'bag'directed into the recess,

anda trip mounted on the frame at the opposite side of the throat fromthe bagembracmg member in positlon to be engaged by a ba'g to be caughtand'o-pera-tively' con nected With the bag-embracing member wherebysaidmember will be causedto embrace the bag@ 7 is l c WILLIAM DAVIS.

'. Witnesses: i r 5 Gem M. TAGGART,

I RnDMoN B-ELQHERI r 50 8.1111 mail" bag catching anddelivering

